BBC news 2010-02-13 加文本

2010-02-13 BBC

BBC News with Iain Purdon.

The Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, has criticized the European Union's response to the financial crisis gripping his country, calling it timid. At a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, the EU offered Greece its backing without giving details of any plans to help. Malcolm Brabant reports from Athens.

Mr Papandreou's remarks are bound to raise eyebrows in capitals throughout the European Union. In the last month, the European Union has given its political support. "But in the battle against impressions and the psychology of the market, it appeared to see the least timid," he said, and he went on, "There was a lack of coordination among the various bodies of the EU - the commission, the member states, the European Central Bank and even differences of opinion within these bodies, he said. All this has undermined our credibility even within the European Union. All this has not helped our position in the markets."

The President of Ivory Coast Laurent Gbagbo has dissolved the government and the country's electoral commission. On Thursday, the government suspended its voter registration process indefinitely, citing rising tensions. John James reports.

President Gbagbo accused the head of the Independent Electoral Commission Robert Mambe of failing to be rigorous, neutral and impartial. On Thursday, Mr Mambe refused to resign, denying the allegations and saying no fraud was committed, although he had said there had been some technical problems at the commission. The opposition has accused the president of trying to control every aspect of the electoral process. The president said Prime Minister, a former rebel leader, Guillaume Soro, would remain in his post and asked him to draw up a fresh list of ministers for a new government by Monday.

Religious services are being held amid the rubble in Haiti to mark one month since an earthquake wrecked the capital Port-au-Prince, killing at least 230,000 people. To the north of the capital, mourners prayed on top of a mass grave where tens of thousands of people were hastily buried. Mike Wooldridge was there.
Amid scrub-covered hills to the north of Port-au-Prince, some 50 worshippers led by a Haitian bishop celebrated mass on the mass graves where tens of thousands of the earthquake victims lie buried. Swinging incense above the graves and sprinkling water on them, the bishop said he aimed to give dignity to their hasty burial. And a national act of commemoration took place attended by Haiti's president and other leaders of the government itself left struggling by the earthquake. At 4:53 in the afternoon local time, all Haitians have been asked to kneel and pray, an invitation extended to Haitians around the world.

A Georgian, who was practising for the luge event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, has died after a crash. His death was confirmed by an official of the International Olympic Committee. The athlete lost control of his sled while travelling at more than 145 kilometres per hour, came off the track and struck a steel pole.

World News from the BBC.

The Iraqi authorities have arrested eight people over the killing of British military policemen in a town near Basra in 2003. The six men were surrounded and attacked by the several hundred people in Majar al-Kabir as they took refuge in a police station. Iraqi officials say there is enough evidence for all the suspects to stand trial.

The acting President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has approved the release of two billion dollars worth of oil money to the government. Executive power was transferred to Mr Jonathan earlier this week following the long absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua who has been receiving medical treatment abroad. Mary Harper reports.

Some of the money will go to the powerful governors of Nigeria's 36 states. On Tuesday, they publicly backed the handover of power to Mr Jonathan, lending significant political weight to what some in Nigeria say was an illegal transfer of authority. Previously, some of the governors have been accused of using state funds to pay for their political campaigns. Elections are due next year and many of the governors will be running for a second term.

Sri Lanka's influential Buddhist clergy have expressed grave concern about the island's political situation after several days of demonstrations following the arrest of the defeated presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka. The Buddhist leadership warned that the future could be disastrous and said it would hold a special conference next Thursday on ways of re-establishing democracy.

The BBC, the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and voice of America have condemned Iran for what they describe as deliberate electronic interference in their broadcasts. They say a new wave of jamming of satellite services began on Thursday as Iran marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The Director of the BBC World Service Peter Horrocks called for all relevant authorities to take action to stop the jamming.

BBC News.